It's hard to believe that it's been one year today since dancehall star AK 47 passed away. And it's not any easier for the music industry today, than it was on the morning he died.
AK 47, real names Emmanuel Mayanja, rose to fame in 2012 with his song "Champion".
Ak 47 Mayanja was born to Gerald Mayanja, who hails from Busato Mityana but lives in Seguku Kampala, he was a biological brother to famous Ugandan musicians Chameleone, Pallaso and Weasel. AK 47 attended Kisubi high school for his secondary education where he completed A Level.
He started as a producer and later channeled to singing. He started singing in Leone Island group which is managed by his brother Chameleone with his first song 'Usiende' in 2008 however, this song did not get enough air play on Ugandan radios and Television stations.
He came into the limelight in 2011 after making a remix of Bayuda with his brother Jose Chameleone. This gave him popularity and gained him a fan base in Uganda. He then released more good songs like, Mbeera ya nsi and Champion which topped Ugandan music chats for quite a while, Kidandali which was followed by a remix with dancehall genius Ziza Bafana, Kaleba featuring Chameleone, Musajja watu with King Saha and many others.
In 2014, he joined the group Team No Sleep which is managed and owned Jeff Kiwa. AK 47 married in 2012 his wife Maggie Mayanja and they were blessed with three children including a set of twins.
His Death
Ak 47 had recorded his latest song Ndi Mulokole, On 16 March, his last day, he took to Facebook and posted; "Nze Ndi Mulokole Nafuuka Mulokole AK Mulokole Naawe Fuuka Mulokole In God we trust" (I am saved, i received salvation, AK is saved, you also get saved In God we trust) — little did he know that it would be his last it would be his public message.
At around 8:00PM, AK 47 was found unconscious in the bar, Denjavu, owned by his manager Jeff Kiwa, where he was drinking with friends. At around 10 PM, AK 47 was found lying on the floor in the bathrooms nosebleeding and with foam in his mouth, it was reported that he slid and fell unconscious. His friends rushed him to the nearest clinic for first aid but the clinic, finding his situation more complex, referred him to Nsambya Hospital but it was too late for the doctors to save his life. He was announced dead five minutes later, after arriving in the hospital.
His brothers Chameleone and Pallaso were immediately called. They told the media about the sudden death of their brother and at around 11 PM, news had started circulating all over social media. The nurses Nsambya Hospital prepared AK 47's body and moved it to the mortuary.
Controversies sorrounding his death
— After AK 47's death, some people including his brother Pallaso spread claims that AK had an argument with Jeff Kiiwa who might have ordered a bouncer to knock the singer out.
— Another group who claimed to be part of the Illuminati claimed responsibility for AK 47's death. Apparently, AK 47 has been part of their team for so long and that they had helped him get fame and popularity but he betrayed them by declaring he is saved, in his last Facebook post, so they took his life.
— A story that was published — and later deleted — by one of the popular blogs in Uganda claimed AK 47 was killed by the ghost of Karamaji. Karamaji was reportedly killed at Jose Chameleone's house in 2012.
Police findings revealed AK died of Drug Overdose
The postmortem results released by Police revealed shocking results: the fallen dance-hall star, AK47 died of a drug overdose.
According to Dr Moses Byaruhanga, a forensic pathologist who headed the team that carried out the postmortem on AK47's body, the singer OD'd before he slid and fell unconscious in Jeff Kiwa's pub, DeJavu. During an interview with Bukedde TV, AK 47's mother urged the youth to stop using drugs because the same thing could happen to them too.
Still missed
The music industry still misses and mourns the death of dancehall star AK 47.